Evaluation and Conservation

Evaluation

Plan for the presentation:
1 Theme
2 Overall research question
3 Subjects – Bio, Physics, Chemistry, ESS (any order)
4 Summary of Findings (for each subject, and overall)
5 Evaluation (like what are the possible conservation measures)

Summary of findings:

Biology -
Bio: Through Simpson's diversity Index we were able to find out that the diversity of the lake is very low because of Pollution factors. So water quality is poor, pollution level is high hence health state of West Lake is very poor.




Possible causes of poor health state of the West Lake water –
Human activities/impacts on the lake
= People are throwing away rubbish into the lake
= People are washing their things (e.g. bucket of pesticide) using West Lake water
= sewage disposal, direct discharge of wastewater (like detergents) and household effluents
= Motor Boats for recreational activities and those that are used by fishermen are releasing exhaust gas into the water
=Exploitation of lake’s resources e.g. catching fish
Others
= since lake is a still water, harmful chemicals and rubbish thrown in will naturally stay and settle there whereas in running water like river, it will self-purify as these will flow and do not stay in one place.

Consequences of poor water quality and high level of pollution –
= Species of aquatic living things that are intolerant to pollution will die
= Fish die from harmful chemicals from household effluents
= Decrease in biodiversity due to these two above. Biodiversity is what we have measured in order to get indication of the water quality and pollution level of the lake water.
= Due to poor water quality, quality of the fish may become poor

Conservation measures that can be taken to reduce level of pollution, improve water quality and health state of West Lake –

= Regulate exploitation of lake resources e.g. limit the number of fish that fishermen could catch in a day
= Pick up rubbish from the lake
= Restrict/ban throwing away rubbish into the lake, direct releasing of sewage and wastewater into the water.
= Raise awareness of the health state of the West Lake, and educate people of the causes and consequence of poor water quality and high pollution level of West Lake. This hopefully would reduce number of people throwing away rubbish into the lake and releasing sewage + wastewater into the lake. (e.g. man wouldn’t wash his bucket of pesticide using West Lake water if he knows all about this)

Conservation specific to Bio testing:

To improve the general health of the lake through the simpsons diversity index we would have to increase the diversity and number of invertebrates in the lake. We can do this by:
- reducing polluting chemicals like pesticides released into the lake becuase this could kill many species of fish and macro-invertebrates.
- reduce fishing which reduces the food source for many invertebrates (like fish's waste).
- reduce water vehicles on the lake as the fuel dammages many species of invertebrates.

CHEMISTRY:

Table: The number of HCl droplets required to turn the pH levels of various lake:drinking water solutions to 4.

Ratio of West Lake water to drinking water	Number of HCl drops required to turn pH level to 4: TRIAL ONE	Number of HCl drops required to turn pH level to 4: TRIAL TWO	Number of HCl drops required to turn pH level to 4: TRIAL THREE
Drinking water - 50 mL Lake water - 0 mL	Initial: 7.20 1	Initial: 7.10 2	Initial: 7.10 1
Drinking - 40 mL Lake -10 mL	Initial: 7.10 2	Initial: 6.90 2	Initial: 7.00 2
Drinking - 30 mL Lake - 20 mL	Initial: 6.60 3	Initial: 6.70 3	Initial: 6.80 3
Drinking - 20 mL Lake - 30 mL	Initial: 6.10 4	Initial: 6.40 4	Initial: 6.20 4
Drinking - 10 mL Lake - 40 mL	Initial: 5.90 5	Initial: 5.80 5	Initial: 5.80 4
Drinking - 0 mL Lake - 50 mL	Initial: 5.30 6	Initial: 5.20 5	Initial: 5.20 6

*Initial = initial pH reading of the solution
This shows that the initial pH level of the lake is extremely acidic and yet still requires quite a number of drops of 1 molar HCl to convert the pH level to 4.00. This tells us that the lake is extremely acidic and it takes quite a lot of acid to turn it to 4.00. The drinking water, on the other hand, is rather basic does not require a lot of acid to turn it to 4.00 pH level. This means that the buffering capacity of the lake is extremely high in comparison to that of the drinking water.



ESS (Environmental system and Societies):
- Investigating the effects of soil quality to the water quality:
To determine the soil quality, the first step is to measure the level of humus inside the soil in West Lake.
Three locations were picked around West Lake to collect soil sample represented by the nearest street to the location as shown on the map below:



After obtaining the soil sample from the three given place, the next step is to measure the humus level.
Results:
Humus level near:
- Nhat Trieu Street: 0.2/15 = 0.0133
- Humus percentatage: 1.33%

- Ve Ho Street: 0.2/18 = 0.0111
- Humus percentage: 1.11%

- Quang Ba Street: 0.3/15 = 0.02
- Humus percentage: 2%

From the results obtain from the experiment, a concluding statement can be made, the findings shows a low level of humus through the soil attain which proves of low level in soil quality.
The relation of soil quality to the water quality can be connected through quatic plant life. Soil quality also determine the ability and performance for plants to grow, having a low soil quality shows a high risk of preventing plants from growing. These aquatic plant life help and increase the water quality or prevent water pollution. These plants also help to reduce soil erosion which then improve the chances of survival for aquatic plant life.
Through the data aquired which shows low level of soil quality, this proof that the water quality in West Lake is bad.